Education

in committee · Pennsylvania · House May 6, 2025

HB 1398: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in terms and courses of study, further providing for grading, classification and promotion of pupils.

This bill amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to update grading policies in public schools. It requires school districts to establish grading systems that reflect a student's actual mastery of assignments, prohibits teachers from assigning minimum grades without considering work quality, and allows students to retake failing assignments for a revised grade. These changes apply to all public school students and teachers in Pennsylvania. The bill takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill mandates mastery-based grading, prohibits arbitrary minimum grades, and allows assignment retakes to improve student learning outcomes, directly strengthening educational assessment practices.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum K-12 Education Testing & Assessment

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Mar 3, 2025

HB 794: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in community colleges, further providing for definitions, for powers and duties of State Board of Education and for degrees.

HB 794 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to clarify the definition of community colleges and update the State Board of Education's authority over them. The bill defines "community college" to include institutions offering two-year programs, career education, college-parallel courses, and services for high school students. It requires the State Board to set standards for facilities, curriculum, faculty, admission, and student enrollment, while allowing community colleges to award a bachelor's degree in nursing to students with an associate nursing degree. These changes directly affect Pennsylvania community colleges and their students by standardizing operations and expanding degree options.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationClarifies community college definitions, sets standards for curriculum/facilities, and enables bachelor's degree offerings, expanding educational access and strengthening oversight in higher education.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum Higher Education K-12 Education

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Apr 17, 2025

HB 1253: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in student supports, further providing for definitions and for student supports; and, in school safety and security, further providing for definitions, for duties of committee, for standardized protocols and for reporting and memorandum of understanding.

HB 1253 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to strengthen school safety and student support systems. It updates definitions to include charter schools and nonpublic schools in reporting requirements, mandating standardized forms for schools to report incidents of violence and weapons on school property (including school-sponsored activities and transportation). The bill requires the School Safety and Security Committee to verify school compliance with reporting rules, publish an annual safety report by November 1, and develop a model agreement between schools and law enforcement that must be reviewed every three years. These changes directly affect public and nonpublic schools, their administrators, and local law enforcement agencies.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill strengthens school safety protocols and student support systems through mandatory reporting and standardized safety measures, directly advancing educational safety protections.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Safety Student Health

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Mar 3, 2025

HB 776: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in high schools, further providing for assessment of civic knowledge.

HB 776 requires Pennsylvania high school students to score at least 60% on a civic knowledge assessment to graduate or earn a general equivalency diploma, starting in the 2028-2029 school year. The bill amends the Public School Code to add this graduation requirement, which applies to all students except those with an individualized education program (IEP) if their IEP specifies an exemption. The assessment measures knowledge of civic topics like government structure and citizenship. This policy directly affects all Pennsylvania public high school students seeking graduation or a general equivalency diploma.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates civic knowledge assessment for graduation, strengthening curriculum standards and student civic education under Pennsylvania's Public School Code.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum K-12 Education Testing & Assessment

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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Mar 21, 2025

SB 492: An Act amending Title 24 (Education) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in suicide prevention in institutions of higher education, further providing for definitions and providing for required suicide prevention and crisis management information.

SB 492 requires Pennsylvania colleges and universities to include suicide prevention resources on student identification cards. Specifically, physical student IDs must display "988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline" prominently, while digital IDs must include this information alongside other crisis resources like the National Sexual Assault Hotline or campus health contacts. Institutions must annually update all contact information on IDs to ensure accuracy and replace outdated numbers within 30 days. Schools without physical or digital IDs must distribute this information through other means. The bill directly affects all Pennsylvania higher education institutions and their students by embedding critical crisis resources into routine student identification.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates suicide prevention resources on student IDs in higher education, enhancing student mental health support within educational institutions.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates suicide prevention resources on student IDs, improving access to mental health crisis services per bill's explicit requirements.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Mar 23, 2026

HB 289: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in grounds and buildings, providing for radon testing.

HB 289 requires all Pennsylvania public, charter, and private schools to test for radon gas in existing buildings starting with the 2026-2027 school year. If radon levels reach 4 picocuries per liter or higher, schools must install mitigation systems and retest until levels fall below that threshold, with new schools required to use radon-resistant construction. Testing must be done by certified professionals using specific protocols, and results must be shared with school boards, parents, teachers, and health officials. Schools with low radon levels must retest every five years, while those needing mitigation must retest every two years. This law directly affects all Pennsylvania school entities and aims to reduce exposure to radon, a radioactive gas linked to lung cancer.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires radon testing and mitigation in school buildings to ensure student/staff safety, improving school infrastructure and health protections per Public School Code amendments.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires radon testing in schools to prevent lung cancer risks, aligning with public health protection under healthcare policy.90% confidence

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Mar 4, 2025

HB 803: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in school health services, providing for maintenance and use of opioid antagonists.

HB 803 requires Pennsylvania high schools (grades 9-12) to maintain opioid antagonists like naloxone (Narcan) on-site and train staff to use them during suspected overdose emergencies. Schools must develop a policy within 60 days with the Department of Education, detailing safe storage, administration procedures, and mandatory hospital transport after use. Trained staff, including nurses or teachers, can administer the medication in good faith without facing legal liability, criminal charges, or professional penalties. This law directly affects all public, charter, private, and nonpublic high schools in Pennsylvania, aiming to improve emergency response to opioid overdoses among students and staff.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires schools to maintain opioid antagonists and train staff, enhancing student safety within school health services per Public School Code.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates schools to maintain naloxone and train staff for overdose emergencies, improving access to life-saving care and strengthening public health response in educational settings.90% confidence

Sub-Topics School Safety Student Health Hospitals Substance Abuse

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Jun 23, 2025

HB 1632: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in certification of teachers, providing for human trafficking awareness and prevention.

HB 1632 requires Pennsylvania teachers to complete a new human trafficking awareness training as part of their continuing education requirements starting in the 2025-2026 school year. The training, developed by the Department of Education with input from the Attorney General's office and human trafficking organizations, covers federal/state laws, victim identification methods, risk factors, and reporting resources like the state hotline. It must be at least one hour long, available online, and counts toward teachers' existing professional development credits. The bill directly affects all professional educators in Pennsylvania who need continuing education under current certification rules.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill mandates human trafficking awareness training for teachers to improve victim identification and reporting, aiding law enforcement in criminal justice efforts.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates teacher training on human trafficking awareness, enhancing educator preparedness to protect students and aligns with supporting teachers' professional development in K-12 safety protocols.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Human Trafficking Teachers

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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Oct 17, 2025

SB 1066: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in terms and courses of study, providing for student fitness assessment.

SB 1066 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code of 1949 to require public schools to implement standardized student fitness assessments. The bill directly affects K-12 students in Pennsylvania public schools by mandating these assessments as part of the curriculum. Key provisions establish specific fitness assessment standards and procedures for schools to follow. This change updates the existing code to include physical fitness requirements without altering other academic or administrative structures.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates standardized fitness assessments in K-12 curriculum, enhancing student physical education programs as required by the bill's provisions.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum Student Health Testing & Assessment

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Aug 4, 2025

HB 1770: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in terms and courses of study, providing for supplemental mathematics program for kindergarten through grade five.

HB 1770 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to require public schools to offer an additional math program for students in kindergarten through fifth grade. This program would provide extra math instruction to help young students build foundational math skills during their early school years. The bill directly affects all K-5 public schools in Pennsylvania and the state education department, which would be responsible for developing and overseeing the program. It adds a specific requirement to the state's educational standards without changing existing curriculum structures.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates supplemental math program for K-5, enhancing foundational skills and strengthening early math education requirements in public schools.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum K-12 Education

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